Lever.



W. A. GILLENTIN B.

LEVER. APPLICATION rum) 90T.11."19oe.

Svwentoz UNITED STATES WILLIAM A. GILLENTINE,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF ALEXANDER, TEXAS.

LEVER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. GILLENTINE, a citil zen of the United States, residing at Alexander, in the county of Erath and State of Texas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Levers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to levers of the pawl and ratchet type designed especially for use'in adjusting movable cultivator gangs but which may obviously be employed in connection with a variety of other mechanisms for operating a movable relative to a fixed part.

The invention has for its objects to provide a comparatively simple, inexpensive device of this character which may be readily installed for use, one wherein the movable part may, through the medium of the operating lever, be conveniently shifted in either direction, and one wherein the locking pawls will, through engagement with the ratchet, securely lock the lever against movement but may be conveniently operated at will to release the lever.

With these and other objects in view, the invention comprises the novel features of construction and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure l is a rear elevation of a leverembodying the invention and showing the same locked against movement. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a segmental rack comprising an upper arcuate portion or bar 2 provided with teeth 3 and a body 4 having a downwardly extending shank 5 terminating at its lower end in a forwardly extending bearing portion or flange 6 adapted in practice for attachment to a fixed part or base 7 on which the ratchet is mounted.

Pivoted at a point adjacent its lower end to the body portion 4 of the ratchet and by means of a horizontal pintle 8 is an operating lever 9 having at its upper end a handle 10, and at its lower end an integral, forwardly extending engaging portion or pin 11 adapted for pivotal engagement with a movable part 12, to be actuated by the lever, there being struck from the body portion of the lever a bearing lip 14 bent upward at the rear face of the lever into engagement with the arched portion 2 of the ratchet for guiding the lever in. its movements relative to the latter.

Iivoted as at 15 to the lever at a point above the ratchet is a pair of reversely disposed locking pawls 16 adapted for engagement with the teeth 3 to lock the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 6, 1907.

1906. Serial No. 339,407.

lever against movement in either direction, the pawls being maintained in engaging position under the action of an inverted, substantially V-shaped spring 17 having the lower ends of its side portions, which tend to move toward each other, pivoted respectively to the pawls, while pivoted to the lever 9 at a point adjacent the handle 10 is a movable grip piece or lever 18 engaged with the upper end of a connecting member or rod 15) engaged at its lower end with the upper looped end of the spring 17.

In practice, the pawls 1G normally engage the ratchet for locking the lever against movement being pressed to engaging position under the action of spring 17, under which conditions the part 12 will, of course, be held against movement. When it is desired to shift the part 12 in either direction, the handle 10 and 'grip piece 18 are grasped and the latter pressed inwardly thereby exerting traction on the connecting rod 19 for lifting the pawls 16 through the medium of spring 17 out of engagement with the ratchet, whereupon the lever may, of course, be rocked on its fulcrum for actuating the part 12.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, a ratchet adapted for engagement with a fixed part, a lever pivoted between its ends to' the ratchet and adapted for engagement at its lower end with a movable part, a bearing lip provided on the lever for engagement with a portion of the ratchet to guide the lever. in its movements a pair of reversely disposed pawls pivoted to the lever, a spring common to and for moving the pawls to engaging position, and means for throwing the pnwls out of engagement with the ratchet.

2. In a device of the class described, a fixed ratchet having a toothed portion, a lever fulcrumed between its ends on the ratchet and provided with a bearing lip adapted for engagement with said toothed portion to guide the lever in its movements, a pair of reversely disposed pawls pivoted to the lever for engagement with the ratchet, a substantially V-shaped spring common to and for moving the pawis to engaging position, and means engaged with the spring for moving the pawls to releasing position.

3. In a device of the class described, a toothed ratchet. a lever fulcrumed between its ends on the ratchet, a pair of pawls pivoted to the lever and adapted for engagement with the ratchet, a substantially V-shaped spring common to and for moving the pawls to engaging position, a movable grip piece attached to the lever, and a connecting rod engaged with the grip piece and spring.

in testimony whereof, I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM A. GILLENTINE.

Witnesses 'l. L. Wnsr, T. G. HU'rcnIsox. 

